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The Timberwolves wagered a huge part of their future last offseason on Butler and the hope that his alpha-dog, defense-first mentality would help transform the young talents of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and others into a contender. The results were mixed in the first season. The Timberwolves squeaked into the playoffs on their last game of the regular season, the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2004. But remember that on the February night when Butler suffered a meniscus injury, the Timberwolves sat in third place in the stacked Western Conference. Who knows what would have transpired if Butler had stayed healthy?

What has transpired since then is this: A franchise that one year ago had as much optimism as nearly any team in the NBA is now entering crisis mode as it tries to figure out how to go forward.

Should they trade Butler to one of his preferred teams? (According to reports from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic's Shams Charania, those teams are the Los Angeles Clippers, the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks -- each big-city destinations with lots of cap room next offseason.) Or should they force him to play one more season with the Timberwolves with what sounds like a near-certainty that he won't re-sign next offseason, meaning the Timberwolves lose him for nothing?

The Timberwolves will not be entering rebuilding mode. In Towns, they have one of the best young players in the NBA. He's the type of player teams will tank for. They are the only team in the NBA able to sign Towns to a five-year, $156.5 million max contract extension. The team has until Oct. 31 to extend him, otherwise he'll become a restricted free agent next summer. As dark as this Butler news is, the Wolves still have a player plenty of organizations in the NBA would die to have.

But they also are hamstrung by the Wiggins' max contract extension that kicks in this season and will pay him about $148 million over the next five years. That's a Brinks truck worth of money for a player who is massively talented but has yet to develop into an efficient NBA player. Wiggins was famously named the NBA's "least defensive player" by FiveThirtyEight.com after the 2016-17 season. His effort and consistency changes from one game to the next, and his three-point shooting percentage took a dip last season after incremental progress.

The rest of this team? They were constructed to win now, and to do so around Butler. Head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau has collected Butler's former teammates from the Chicago Bulls -- including Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose and Luol Deng -- to appease Butler and to win now. The team added vital three-point shooting pieces in the offseason, including Anthony Tolliver (43.6 percent from three last season) and James Nunnally (55.4 percent from three in the EuroLeague last season), to change the culture of a team that ranked last in the NBA in three-point field goals a year ago. And Wolves sources say they're excited about the versatile two-way potential of both of their 2018 draft picks, Josh Okogie of Georgia Tech and Keita Bates-Diop of Ohio State.

But these storylines are all around the margins. Jimmy Butler's trade request immediately turns a team that could have possibly hosted a home playoff series this coming season into a franchise that's heading backward. Maybe they can get something in a trade for Butler. The Clippers have an abundance of backcourt talent; Lou Williams recently signed a team-friendly three-year extension, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an intriguing young point guard who, like Towns, has the John Calipari connection. Perhaps the Knicks would part with one of their young talents -- recent draft pick Kevin Knox, another Kentucky product, defense-first point guard Frank Ntilikina -- though the Knicks president recently said the Knicks would not trade assets for players they can get in free agency. And the Nets have former No. 2 pick D'Angelo Russell, who hasn't developed as some expected, and talented young big man Jarrett Allen, who presents a questionable fit next to Towns.

What Happens Next With Jimmy Butler and the Wolves? The Ringer

Long story, but a good one.

The problem for any teams interested in acquiring Butler is that he just turned 29, has managed to play more than 68 regular season games only twice in his seven-year career because of a laundry list of injuries, and he wants to be re-signed to a five-year, $190 million contract. The team that acquires Butler will hold his Bird rights next summer; teams in free agency can sign him to only a four-year, $141 million deal. The Knicks, Nets, and Clippers will have leverage if they choose to entertain a Butler deal. But should they? Butler may have eyes for New York, but both Big Apple franchises would be wise to keep recent history in mind before they give up young talent and or picks for an aging star...

It’s no secret that Butler and Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving have interest in playing together after developing a friendship through USA Basketball. Butler has even called Irving his “favorite player who’s not myself” when asked in 2017 on First Take if he could pick any teammate in the NBA. And he’s liked Instagram comments about him teaming up with Irving on the Knicks. Irving grew up in the region, and long before he was traded to Boston, there were rumblings he was destined for New York.

I’d bet on Irving re-signing with the Celtics, but there’s a real chance he’ll consider the Knicks. And if the Knicks are patient they’ll find themselves with a good young core and the cap room to go after Butler, Irving, or bigger fish like Kevin Durant in 2019 or 2020, or even Anthony Davis in 2021. It seems silly now, but the Lakers just signed LeBron James. New York should also dream big...

Opposing GM: ‘I wouldn’t trade for’ Wolves star Butler - Amico Hoops

Butler met with the Timberwolves on Tuesday to request a trade, according to The Athletic. He listed three preferred destinations, according to reports, with ESPN citing the Los Angeles Clippers as the team at the top of Butler’s list. The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets were supposedly the others.

This is the second time Butler has come across as dissatisfied with a situation. He was traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Timberwolves in a draft-night deal in 2017. That happened after Butler had basically made it clear he wanted out of Chicago.

In Minnesota, the All-Star swingman was reunited with Tom Thibodeau, the former Bulls coach who is now head coach and president of basketball operations with the Timberwolves.

Butler and Thibodeau reportedly get along well and share a strong mutual respect. But Butler is upset with “contractual matters,” according to The Athletic. Hence, his trade request.

“I’m not buying much of anything being put out there,” the opposing GM told Amico Hoops. “Butler’s reps are probably the source for most of this stuff, so we’re probably only hearing the very best of Butler being reported. But the guy has been two places, hasn’t really won (anything) and is causing issues. He has an inflated view of his own importance if you ask me. I wouldn’t want him on my team.”..

These 5 teams could target Timberwolves' Jimmy Butler - Sporting News

These are NBA rumors. Maybe a category with the worst success rate in history, but here you go:

Jimmy Butler to the Knicks?

Why they make a deal: Phil Jackson is gone. Jeff Hornacek is gone. Joakim Noah is heading out the door soon. It's possible president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry decide to be conservative with next year's class of free agents, but if they can snag Butler, would that attract another star?

Butler and Celtics guard Kyrie Irving have reportedly explored the idea of playing together. An Irving-Butler backcourt along with Kevin Knox and Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt would make new coach David Fizdale (and all Knicks fans) very happy.

A trade would likely require parting ways with talented prospect Frank Ntilikina, but adding Butler improves New York now and could mean bigger moves in the near future.

Jimmy Butler to the Lakers?

...The real question is whether the Lakers want to make a trade. Johnson was content to keep his assets rather than risk it all for Leonard this past summer, so it wouldn't be surprising if this situation follows that blueprint. Brandon Ingram is off limits, but what about Kyle Kuzma? Would the Timberwolves accept a lighter return now that the trade request is out in the open?

Jimmy Butler to the Clippers?

...The potential trade package from the Clips could be intriguing. Is Thibodeau scanning the roster for up-and-coming talent (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson), or will he lean toward some of the veterans available? (Imagine if head coach Doc Rivers still had power in the front office like Thibodeau. That's an interesting negotiation process.)

Jimmy Butler to the Celtics?

When Leonard's name was flying through the rumor mill, the Celtics were willing to do a pick-heavy deal as opposed to trading away players. They own first-round selections from the Kings (top-one protected), Grizzlies (top-eight protected) and Clippers (top-14 protected) as well as their own first-rounder.

If Philly would commit to Butler, it would likely require sending Robert Covington and Dario Saric to Minnesota. There could also be chemistry questions given Butler's tension with Wiggins and Towns. Would that happen again with Embiid and Simmons?

Butler is a win-now player, and the 76ers are trying to win right now. He could elevate them into the same tier with another Eastern Conference contender...

If Philly would commit to Butler, it would likely require sending Robert Covington and Dario Saric to Minnesota. There could also be chemistry questions given Butler's tension with Wiggins and Towns. Would that happen again with Embiid and Simmons?